I don't know who wrote this, but it sure works.......
Today on my way to lunch I passed a homeless guy with a sign that read "Vote Obama, I need the money." I laughed.
Once in the restaurant my server had on a "Obama 08" tie, again I laughed as he had given away his political preference--just imagine the coincidence.
When the bill came I decided not to tip the server and explained to him that I was exploring the Obama redistribution of wealth concept.
He stood there in disbelief while I told him that I was going to
redistribute his tip to someone who I deemed more in need--the
homeless guy outside. The server angrily stormed from my sight.
I went outside, gave the homeless guy $10 and told him to thank the
server inside as I've decided he could use the money more. The
homeless guy was grateful.
At the end of my rather unscientific redistribution experiment I
realized the homeless guy was grateful for the money he did not earn,
but the waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he did earn
even though the actual recipient deserved money more.
I guess redistribution of wealth is an easier thing to swallow in
concept than in practical application.
REDISTRIBUTION OF SOMEONE ELSE'S WEALTH, A GREAT IDEA ..............
or just a fools game?
The budget should be balanced, theTreasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the
assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become
bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public
assistance. -- Marcus Tullius Cicero 55 BC
55 comments:
I like doing "good" with other people's money, too. Especially when I get all the thanks for it and the donors receive nothing but contempt.
This experiment was spectacular and needs greater exposure. I love that so much.
I had to delete my first comment because I failed to notice your were sharing someone else's esperience. I still think you're great though for sharing it.
That's good one Z.
If you don't mind i'm going to pilfer that and spread the message around so our meager wealth hopefully isn't.
The waiter can afford to lose one $10 tip for an educational experience. But he can have even more fun...
If the waiter makes $35,000 per year and loses one $10 tip per day (in a 5 day work week) then he would only lose $2,600 per year, leaving him with $32,400. That wouldnt require any considerable change in his lifestyle.
If there are 15 waiters at the restaurant who donate $10/each per day, that would be $39,000/year which could be redistributed to the homeless person.
This way the waiters can work extra hard to make up the slight loss of income, while the homeless man does nothing to earn a living better than they have.
That is of course, until one of the waiters catches on and quits his job to demand that the other waiters support him as well.
Great blog, but unfourtionatly you are Preaching to the Choir
A good one, indeed.
i am going to post this story on my facebook...not all are members of the choir there.
kw
I like that quote from Cicero. Alas, didn't Julius do him in?
Antony did him in, after Caesar's assassination.
All who want to redistribute wealth consider their own wealth sacred. It's always redistribute other peoples' wealth.
Here's how to redistribute it:
No more making fun of John McCain’s expensive shoes for me — $520 for a pair really does look down-home and working class compared to his everywoman running mate:
The Republican National Committee appears to have spent more than $150,000 to clothe and accessorize vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and her family since her surprise pick by John McCain in late August.
According to financial disclosure records, the accessorizing began in early September and included bills from Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis and New York for a combined $49,425.74.
The records also document a couple of big-time shopping trips to Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis, including one $75,062.63 spree in early September.
The RNC also spent $4,716.49 on hair and makeup through September after reporting no such costs in August.
-----------------------
Now come on ladies, admit you'd all like to add Valentino and Armani to your wardrobe (fess up, Nanc) on someone elses dime.
Of course graduated taxation is out of the question I know.
this nation cannot survive what the MSM and the dems have done to it. Pelozi, OBAMA, Pelosi, Reid, Frank, Schumer etal have literally torn this nation to shreds because of their hatred for GW. McCain may be the last good person to want to run for the presidency from the repub side. We are witnessing the literal destruction of the American way of life. I'm really afraid to say that we are steaming towards socialism the likes the world has never known.
Again (I believe z may have censored this for some reason before) according to the Sermon on the Mount we are instructed to do for the least.
How does 8 to the waiter and 2 to the beggar sound?
And why wouldn't we want to support progressive taxation? I would think it reasonable to tax in relation to the amount of the wealth controlled. No?
Ducky, thank GOODNESS they bought Palin some clothes. Have you seen the monstrosities Michelle Obama wears? My GOSH, imagine her going overseas like THAT? Big floppy flowers sewn all over the tops, .. I can only imagine who her designer is!! It's frightening..but I don't like to get as catty as you have about clothes, I've avoided it because it's really a little unkind.....just thought this was finally the time to mention it!!! Yikes!
Ya, Palin is a working mother who probably needed BIG TIME cleaning up! And thank goodness they have someone like Cindy mcCain, at least, to emulate!
I, for one, am so happy that we have at least a remote possibility of having a beautiful woman with grace and dignity and SOME sense of style, to represent our country. We had Mrs. Bush, we had Jackie Kennedy, we had Nancy Reagan...all women of beauty and dignity. I like that. Sorry if it offends the Mao Jacket culture you are yearning for!
Compared to an $800 haircut, $500 shoes aren't too bad! At least good shoes LAST.
When Prince Charles came to California YEARS ago, our moonbat governor Jerry Brown gave him a bag lunch...so proletarian, such FUN, such a terrible cringing moment for California, believe me.
Thanks, we need to see why people are voting for Obama....expensive shoes on the opponent are REALLY quite a reason not to vote for the smarter one. geeeeez
According to Ducky's logic, we should be thanking God Almighty that we have the government to do our charity for us, so that we don't have to give one thought or bit of effort into following His command to do good.
Charity starts at home, not with Caesar's tax man.
freedomnow
Your observation is brilliant and I quoted your comment in my own blog. Very good point.
Z, this is the most spectacular blog post....nice work! I might employ similar tactics from now on just by asking the waiter who he's voting for.
As a matter of fact, we all should be doing this as a good measure!
that is great!!.. yes obamamania may cease once those who support him get their pockets picked too!!!
Brooke, no, what I'm still not sufficiently cynical to disbelieve , Brooke, is that the government can be made an instrument of our collective prosperity.
As it is now the government is incapable of that function and in fact serves as an instrument of upward wealth transfer which you seem to accept.
But you want that to continue and I believe that under some delusion that you are some day going to be able to afford the $4000 Armani leather jacket that the RNC bought Gidget you somehow bond with the folks who in fact do have their hands in your pocket.
Strange people, Republicans.
Along with typically inane discussions about the cost of clothing among people who obviously make more money than I do, comes this gem: “. . . government can be made an instrument of our collective prosperity.
Yes, that is definitely a true statement. Government already is an instrument. It’s called public education. It is called equal opportunity. It is called “fairness in lending.” And I could possibly go on ad nauseum about all the things our nation provides to its people to help ensure “collective prosperity.” But I should possibly end with this one: Freedom of choice.
We all have the right to achieve an education thanks to the “collective” efforts of taxpayers. Collective, by the way, suggests “involuntary,” but that’s another topic. In fact, public school attendance is mandatory in most states through the age of 18. Considering the drop out rate among public high school students, it would seem that people are exercising their freedom of choice more than they take advantage of “opportunity.” And once they make a poor decision, what then? The beauty of our country is that availability of education — adult education programs — continues long into the future. We can, therefore, always go back and finish our education.
The fact is that jobs are hard to find even among well-educated persons. Uneducated people are by definition relegated to low-wages and the kind of work that provides the least amount of satisfaction. Whose fault is that, again? And so we find that it is not enough for this country to pour BILLIONS AND BILLIONS of dollars into public education that 30% or more of the students are not interested in, now we also suggest that it is fair to take money away from hard-working people, and provide those funds to people who decided “education isn’t my thing, dude.”
Honestly, it is the most convoluted thinking imaginable. Not surprising, only exasperating. Punish the masses for the sins of the few. What’s next Daffy, collective farming?
I've campaigned for President in ripped jeans and a vintage Iron Maiden concert T-shirt.
I've only managed 3rd place in the polls ahead of Ron Paul.
Yes, Mustang. It's called Marxism (or may be communism is better understood by some).
I have voiced for a long time now that the stuff which comes out of the mouth of B. Hussein Obama is communism pure. The exact same theories are being voiced in Germany, almost verbatim, by representatives of..... the communists. The only difference is, as we have said on this blog for a long time, in Germany even the left leaning press calls that communism, and in the U.S. the MSM don't even dare to call that socialism, and Obama tries to laugh off, "that people call him a socialist". He didn't end his sentence.... it should have been "they should call me a communist", because that's what he is.
The comparison of Obama with "European Socialism" is utterly stupid, because his ideas go way beyond.
BTW: There is an excellent example case of what happens when communism is introduced into a country: that is Venezuela - the haven for all these important people going there to pay Hugo their respect (Sean Penn being the latest....). My daughter frequently goes to Caracas (she is in fact there right now) and you won't believe what she reports, like queues around the corner to wait for bread or butter becoming available (like it was in that wonderful socialistic state German Democratic Republic (East Germany). Planned economy and socialism and redistribution of wealth doesn't work, folks.
Mr.Z
I stilll find it hilarious that two weeks out from the election, the leftists behind the candidate that has spent close to half a BILLION dollars to just wind up running a dead heat tie with McCain in a year the Republican brand is supposed to be a negative want to bitch about the costs of Sarah Palin's clothes.
I know as a common man, I like to pack up the press for an all-expenses paid trip (complete with dress codes) through Europe and the Middle East before swaggering on stage in front of a mock Greek temple.
Z, this is a great post. Thanks so much for sharing. Before leaving this comment I went to my template and placed the Cicero quote up top. Things haven't changed much since Roman times, have they?
Z-Excellent post. I have to take exception to the person who wrote "government can be made an instrument of our collective prosperity" - Where is the collective prosperity in an unmotivated and apathetic society? Any redistributed percentage of zero - is still zero. Good luck making that theory work when society refuses to work.....
I agree with everyone above....Awesome post. I think I may send this to a few people I know.....maybe this will be something they actually understand!
Hmmm. The absence of quacking is deafening.
Sam
I encourage you and your readers to please read the letter that I have posted today on my blog. And if you find it as important as I did, please pass it around.
Thank you
Eric
Isn't that the truth...sounds so good in print..but in real life...
Perfect! - although you can only do that in restaurants you're not particularly interested in frequenting on a regular basis.
BZ
Brilliant. I loved it and I'll be back. I like what's here and put you on my blogroll. Thanks for the visit.
Sam, I have been back and forth with mustang on education for some time.
If I answer his cheap messianic bigotry I only get censored.
Obama Policy in action - and one of the supporters doesn't like it! Who woulda thunk it?
Beamish is absolutely right. Obama has actually spent almost 600 million dollars on his campaign in order to be in a dead heat with a man running under a very unpopular brand given by the present administration that has only been given 84 million dollars for the entire campaign. Obama has nearly twice what John McCain was given for the entire election to use in the last two weeks of his campaign. Assuming that Obama can garner at least as many votes as George Bush did in 2004 he will be spending $10 for every vote received nation wide. Obama should be at about 85% to John McCain's 15% and yet he can hardly reach 50% in polls that we KNOW are tilted in his favor. Now THAT is a REAL waste of money.
OH, MAN, you are all SO good! And thanks, I'm really glad you found this worth posting, too. PASS IT AROUND to Obama voters, MAYBE something will sink in!?
Ducky, I didn't need to leave ANY comment of yours..remember? It's my house, my blog, I didn't build a blog for you to give me religious instruction. Jesus said "There will always be poor amongst you" he did NOT say "you'd better not believe me and do all you can to STOP THAT, even rob from those who have worked hard and made good livings for themselves"; his teachings tell us to help, not to run to the government. And we DO help, Republicans give more to charity than Democrats, you know that.
Ya, I brought up the GREEK COLUMNS to Ducky, too, beamish; WHAT humility, WHAT a message to the little guY!
Was it Michelle Obama who was in the hotel room ordering lobsters and beluga caviar and champagne during the Al Smith dinner? I believe that was the time she did that...while Obama was talking about the poor on the streets in front of the hotel? Ya, that was it.
end of story.
Yeah, lots of ideas are good on paper.
Good post, Z.
So many liberals live on emotion and hysterics rather than basing their beliefs on reality. Too bad they learn things the hard way.
Perfect analogy, Z. I would much rather decide who gets my money than the government. And who cares how much money McCain spent on Palin's clothes. They were bought in America from people with jobs (selling them, marketing them, making them). I would much rather pay someone like that than a bureaucrat with a cushy government job.
//No more making fun of John McCain’s expensive shoes for me — $520 for a pair really does look down-home and working class compared to his everywoman running mate://
I desperately try to understand why Ducky or anyone else would care how much someone, who has the money to spend, would spend on their shoes.
Would I spend that much even if I had it? Probably not. The thing that class-envy leftists fail to understand is, there was someone that made that shoe and he/she had a job that day.
Terrific discussion going on here, as usual. And Mr. Z? You have a keeper there, Z!
Brooke, your first post was profound. I couldn't agree more.
The underlying issue in this election is whether we want to have Freedom to exercise Charity VOLUNTARILY and LOVINGLY, or do we want to submit to the rule of false "charity" brought inefficiently and wastefully to the needy by pointing a gun at everyone's head, and saying "
You WILL give, or you will DIE --- in a Gulag.
~ FreeThinke
Z, this shows that the libs wan't to give other people's money away. The word is Obama has given less than 1%of his income to charity. True? I don't know but not untypical.
I'll be coming around to all you guys' GREAT blogs soon... but I wanted to THANK YOU ALL for coming by...I just love these conversations and I REALLY appreciate your comments.
Also, during this election time, while I'm looking at losing the country I love so much (I know many of you feel this way, too), your support and agreement in so many things is very comforting and encouraging..thanks. xx
The only thing that ever consoles a liberal for the stupid things he says is the praise he bequeaths himself for having said them. Meanwhile, I am hoping someone will explain "cheap messianic bigotry" to me.
Mustang,
Meanwhile, I am hoping someone will explain "cheap messianic bigotry" to me.
You haven't accepted the Messiah Barack Hussein Obama as your personal Lord and Savior, and recieved his mark.
Now for the record let me point out that mustang's criticism of the public schools does highlight a problem in the public schools.
However in his love affair for choice (unless it's a woman's over her reproductive system) and the "free market" (LMAO) he immediately jumps to the thesis that a privatized system will solve these issues while offering little evidence.
If our goal is to try to educate all the populace then I have seen little evidence that proposals such as vouchers can handle the problem. I will note that those zany Europeans, especially the Dutch, have constructed systems with more choice than ours but we sure ain't gonna look at what those crazy commie European gimps are doing, right?
"Cheap messianic bigotry"
------------------------
1. Under performers in public schools which you rail about. I believe it is code for minorities and you do take The Bell Curve and similar writings to heart.
2. Messianic because you worship the "free market" and "choice" without any idea of their faults. They are goals incorporated into your religion.
3. Cheap because it's dogma and you don't have to bother trying to educate yourself.
//No more making fun of John McCain’s expensive shoes for me — $520 for a pair really does look down-home and working class compared to his everywoman running mate://
I desperately try to understand why Ducky or anyone else would care how much someone, who has the money to spend, would spend on their shoes.
Would I spend that much even if I had it? Probably not. The thing that class-envy leftists fail to understand is, there was someone that made that shoe and he/she had a job that day.
--------------
I own Zegna suits. More expensive than some of the Palin couture. Tie a can on i on the class envy. I own four or five paintings twice as expensive as your car.
The point is that Sarah went on a shopping spree that is possibly illegal and bought a bunch of stuff including a Vuitton bag for the seven year old and a pair of $200 pajamas for the baby. She displays this sense of entitlement while she chums the suckers with the "hockey mom" crap.
Ducky, we're very, very impressed by your excellent suits, GOOD for you!
Please let us know about the Vuitton bag .... I just looked at 3 lists and there was nothing for the kids.
I'm wondering how much the hair plugs and botox on the forehead of Biden cost, do you know?
Also, the campaign has planned on giving most of the clothing to charity, did you ignore that intentionally or you just hadn't heard?
I'd spend this much money, too..imagine the elitist media skewering her for wearing the down-home clothing she wore as governor of Alaska? Imagine if the hair and make up weren't perfect!?
By the way..>WHAT did they DO to Michelle Obama? The eyebrows aren't QUITE as evilly arched and her skin looks...lighter? Smooother? Several people have asked me what I think they did but I'm no expert, I just know she looks way WAY better lately! And her CLOTHES! Oh, my GOSH, if floppy flowers pinned to the front of every dress are in, I'm WAAAAY out.
Of course, I'd have never become this catty were it not for you and the rest of the elitist left who ignore Obama's lies about not having ties with ACORD but giving them EIGHT HUNDRED THOU !! Boy, I wish someone not connected to ME would be that generous to ME, you know?!!
Yet, they harp on giving a vice pres woman candidate a lot of wonderful clothes for appearing in different kinds of weather, different types of events, all day, every day for months!?
WOW, Ducky, THAT is REALLY a stretch!!!
And Ducky? If I were an Obama supporter, the last word I'D personally use for anyone else is 'messiah'...I mean, really.....
z, I am simply sick of this nonsense from the right implying that the left acts only from resentment. It's utter nonsense.
I am not proud of myself for doing it but in fact I believe the right is the group with unbridled greed and frankly they are so insulting that I can't avoid taking opportunities to rub thei noses in it.
Christian? Absolutely not.
Human nature? Yes. I despise Republican hypocrisy and shallowness.
z, she gave an interview to the Pittsburgh paper yesterday. You can find it at Huffington (be prepared if you go there).
We are in the middle of a major economic crisis and Gidget is spending $150,000 on clothes and forcing the campaign to defend her rather than talk about issues.
It's over and she was a major reason you lost. You don't try to pass off a bimbo as VP.
check out this article:
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/24/palin-denies-accepting-designer-clothes/
This is the first paragraph of that article.
Of the $150,000 spent by the Republican National Committee on clothing for the vice presidential candidate, $50,000 worth of clothes was returned immediately after the national convention, $50,000 worth hasn't been worn yet and $50,000 is being used by the Palin clan.
Ducky, i know that none of the bi-partisan news organizations will post this true info, and i assume you do not read or watch fox news, so i got the fair and balanced story for you. By the way, i bet obama's wardrobe costs are up there too, but i guess that doesn't matter just like how many houses he may own doesn't matter. i don't mind info going out there, but be balanced and fair, especially if you are part of the media.
kw
Ducky, it's not hypocrisy, it's sticking to Scripture..good Christians aren't Christians who pick and choose what they want from the word of God.
NOBODY in the Bible said "give everything you've got to charity"..it's a ridiculous 'notion' (as Obama loves to say) that one needs prostrate themselves to the needy or lazy in order to be Christian.
There is more charity among Republicans than Democrats..Biden gave $3600 in I believe 6 YEARS.....compare and contrast.
Republicans believe in dignity, dressing to represent our country in the way it deserves to be represented...
"Unbridled greed" is what the Natioal Black Caucus used to force Raines and JOhnson and Mudd to give in...playing the race card until Mudd kissed their buttts with "YOU are the CONSCIENCE OF CONGRESSS" what Absolutely RUBBISH. What racist BS. SHAME on the NBC to put their color before their country and before the well being of their OWN PEOPLE, ..one does NOT give a home loan based on the size of another's welfare check.
people must WORK to make a living.. not rely on the government or nasty leftwing cheats who shame good people into feeling they have to bend over backwards so's not to look racist.
I'm sick to death of this liberal CRAP that Republicans are EVIL. I am with you on Rove, I saw your remark on another of my articles, I think Rove is LARGELY to blame for the Bush admin's hideous selection of advisors and cabinet posts....but conservatives are not evil, and it's unAmerican and shameful of you and the media and other leftist snob elitists to keep belittling half of America, an American group more America-loving , more understanding of our history, more appreciate of what we've been and could be(if it weren't for the Left)...
Next time you EVER doubt Leftists are elitist SNOBS, catch Anthony Bourdain's new TV cable show TABLE TALK. I have NEVER IN MY F'ing LIVE seen more HUBRIS, more SNOBBISM, more intellectual idiocy than that group of lefties he invited for dinner last week. I was laughing hilariously as they discussed a $900 bill for 2 for sushi "was it really worth it when there are poor people?" The concensus was "hell yes..it gives time to talk about Marxism."
YOU have to watch it..it's textbook. humiliating for any democrat, I'd have THOUGHt, but no.......
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